Railway-traffic-controlling apparatus



Jul 31, 1928. 1,679,015

' C. R. BEALL RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 4, 1927 INVENTORI Patented July 31, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,679,015 PATENT oFFicE.

CHARLES R. BEALL, OF EDGEWOOD BOROUGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY,

POR-A'IION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

or SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A con- BAILWAY-TRAFFIG-CONTROLLIN G APPARATUS.

Application filed January 4, 1927. Serial No. 158,842.

My inventionrelates to railway traffic controlling apparatus, and particularly to apparatus of the type wherein periodically varying current is supplied to the track rails for the control of railway traiiic.

One feature of my invention is the provision of novel and improved means for supplying current to the track rails in such manner that .abrupt changes in the applied voltage are avoided.

I will describe two forms of apparatus embodying my invention, and will then point out the. novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing one form of apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view-showing a modified form of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, and also embodying my invention.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the two views.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the reference characters 1 and l designate the track rails of stretch of railway track, which rails are divided into a plurality of sections A-B, B-C, eta, bysuitable means, such as insulated joints. lternating current is supplied to the track rails of each of these sections through transformers T, which are connected with a transmission line L extending along the track. The transmission line L is supplied with alternating current from the secondary 10 of a transformer K, the primary 11 of which is supplied with alternating current from a suitable source not shown in the drawing.

The flow of alternating current in the transmission line L is governed by translating device 7. This device comprises a stationary ring shaped stator core 4 having a slot 3 in which is mounted a secondary winding S. The winding S is connected in series with one conductor of the transmission line L.. Rotatably, mounted within the stator 4 is a rotor core 5Vcarrying a primary winding P to which current is supplied from the secondary 10 of transformer K through slip rings 7 and 8. The slip rings 7 and 8 are mounted on a shaft 9 which carries the rotor core 5, and are suitably insulated from this shaft. The primary winding P may be rotated by means of a constant speed motor M which has itsrot'ating element secured to the shaft 9. The motor M may be supplied with current from any suitable source, and is here shown as being suppliedfrom the secondary 10 of transformer K.

When the winding P is rotated the alternating magnetic flux set up in the cores 4 and 5 by current in this winding P will induce a Voltage in the secondary S, and this voltage will vary in direction and magnitude in accordance with the relative positions of the two windings P and S. F or example, when the plane of winding P is coincident with that of winding S, the voltage induced in the winding S is a maximum and is additive. at a given instant,'to the voltage in winding S supplied from transformer K. W hen the primary P is rotated through an angle of 180 so that windings P and S are again coplanar, the voltage induced in secondary S is again a maximum but opposes, at a given instant, the voltage in secondary S supplied from transformer K. It will, therefore, be seen that when the primary P is rotated, the voltage in the transmission 1 line L, and also, the current supplied to the track rails 1- and l willvary in amplitude p'eiodically, and will pass through a maxi mum value once for each revolution of the primary P. o i

If it is desired to supply current of a frequency of one hundred impulses a minute to the track rails, and the device W has one pair of poles, as shown, the primary winding P will. be rotatedone hundred times a minute. The speed of-rotation of the primary]? may be reducedby increasing the number of'pairs of poles on the device W. and this speed will be equal to the reciprocal of the numb-er of pairs of poles on the device,lV,.multiplied by the frequency of the I impulses to be supplied to the track rails. For example, the primary P will be rotated twenty-five times aminute if the device lV has four pairs of poles and one hundred im-. pulses a minute are to be supplied tO'thG track rails.

The rotor core 5 of'the device is pref? erably provided with an insulated shortcircuited winding 6, mounted in a plane at right angles to the plane of the primary winding P, for the purpose of reducing the reactance drop in the secondary winding S when the windings P and S are not coincident. The effect ofthis winding is to produce a more uniform reaction of the primary P to the driving action of the motor M and to reduce the fluctuations in the current supplied to the track rails.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the transmission line L is supplied with current entirely by induction through the translating device W. In this form of the invention the secondary S is connected across the conductors of the transmission line L and the primary P is supplied with current from the secondary 10 of the transformer K over slip rings 7 and 8. The shaft 9 is driven by a constant speed motor M as in Fig. 1.

- When the primary winding P is rotated, the relative positions of windings P and S are changed, and the voltage induced in the winding 3 by the alternating magnetic flux set up in cores a and 5 is varied from a maximum value when the windings are co-planar, to a Zero value when the windings are at right angles, twice for each complete revolution of the winding P. It will therefore be clear that when the winding P is rotated, alternating current will be supplied to the transmission line L and to the track rails l and 1, and that this current will vary in amplitude periodically and will pass through a maximum value twice for each revolution of the winding P. The winding P is therefore, driven at a speed equal to one-half the 7 frequency of the current impulses to be supplied to the track rails. If, for example, one

hundred impulses of current a minute are to be supplied to the track rails the winding P will be rotated fifty times a minute. The speed may be reduced by increasing the number of pairs of poles on the device W, as described in connection with Fig. 1, and this speed will be equal to the reciprocal of twice the number of pairs of poles on the device Vv, multiplied by the frequency of the impulses to be supplied to the track rails.

The apparatus herein shown is suitable for co-operation with train carried mechanism receiving energy from the track rails and responsive to current of periodically varying amplitude, and by the use of this apparatus the variation of the current supplied to the track rails is made gradual so that difliculties caused by abrupt variations are eliminated.

Although I have herein shown and described only two forms of apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. The combination with a stretch of railway track divided into sections, and a trans mission line extending along said track for supplying train controlling current to said sections, of a source of alternating current, a translating device having two inductively related windings, one of said windings being connected across said source and the other with said transmission line, and means for continuously rotating one of said windings to periodically vary the voltage applied to said transmission line by said device.

2. The combination with a stretch of railway track divided into sections, and a transmission line extending along said track for supplying train controlling current to said sections, of a source of alternating current, a translating device having a primary winding connected across said source and a secondary winding connected with said transmssion line, and means for continuously rotating said primary windin 3. The combination with a stretch of railway track divided into sections, and a transmission line extending along said track for supplying train controlling current to said s ctions, of a source of alternating current connected to said transmission line, a translating device comprising two inductively related windings, one of said windings being connected across said source and the other being connected in series with said transmission line, and means for continuously rotating one of said windings.

i. In, combination, a pair of conductors, a source of alternating current connected to said conductors, a first winding connected in series with one of said conductors, a second winding connected in multiple with said source and inductively related to said first winding, and means for continuously rotating one of said windings.

5. The combination with a stretch of railway track divided into sections, and a transmission line extending along said track for supplying train controlling current to said sections, of a source of alternating current, a translating device comprising a stationary winding connected to the transmission line, a rotatable winding connected to the source, and a third winding mounted at right angles to SfitlCl second winding and rotatable therewit 6. The combination with a stretch of railway track divided into sections, and a transmission line extending along said track for supplying train controlling current to said sections, of a source of alternating current, a translating device comprising a. stator core carrying a winding connected with said transmission line, a rotor core within said stator core and rotatable relatively thereto, two angularly displaced windings on said rotor core one of said windings being connected across said source, and means for con tinuously rotating said rotor core.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature.

CHARLES R. BEALL. 

